Bus Question

[Shorty82]

Well, I'll continue the resurrection.

I got to drive one of the new Nova's Sunday night. Less than 1k miles and complete with the new bus smell :D: I actually had fun driving, it handled great and of course, everything worked!

The lighting has been redone, you can now turn on just the very back of the bus lights or all of them. This makes for the ability to drive with the light on without the glare distracting the driver. Even without that light the lights on to illuminate the exits and the stairs going to the dance floor in back provide plenty of light. (the new Nova's have stairs like the Gilligs, not the ramp any more)

I did not have a manager say anything about this but I believe that this is a step forward in nighttime guest safety

I saw one of the new buses today. It was pulling out of West Clock as the bus I was on was pulling in. The outside has a slick shape at least. I haven't ridden in one yet but if they run one on the MK CM Shuttle route regularly I will eventually.

The new buses have stairs? I don't like that personally. I like the low floor design of the other Novas as it's easier to get on and off, there's no stepwell for someone to fall into when the bus is packed, and there are a few other reasons I prefer them. I thought low floor was the way Disney was going with all new buses?

[hhsrat]

The new buses have stairs? I don't like that personally. I like the low floor design of the other Novas as it's easier to get on and off, there's no stepwell for someone to fall into when the bus is packed, and there are a few other reasons I prefer them. I thought low floor was the way Disney was going with all new buses?

As I read it, they're low-floor busses, but with a step to get to the back seating area, just like the Gilligs. I don't think anyone is still making busses with entrance steps (ala the RTS)

Why are we buying new Novas? I thought we had enough problems with the ones we already had. (And whatever happened to the Vanhool transit-style bus I saw scooting around a few times?)

[Shorty82]

As I read it, they're low-floor busses, but with a step to get to the back seating area, just like the Gilligs. I don't think anyone is still making busses with entrance steps (ala the RTS)

Why are we buying new Novas? I thought we had enough problems with the ones we already had. (And whatever happened to the Vanhool transit-style bus I saw scooting around a few times?)

Ah! Ok. I get it now. Thanks. I didn't think anybody would still make buses with entrance steps but I wasn't sure, I'm not a transit geek like you are.

My understanding is that those Vanhools were on loan to Disney while a few of our buses were getting serviced by an outside company. I heard Disney won't ever buy that kind of bus for a number of reasons. That they don't hold as many people and the mid-engine makes it a lot harder to load wheelchairs and especially ECVs were the main reasons I heard. I rode one of them a number of times as it was pretty much on permanent cast shuttle duty (as it had no electronic display to show the destination) and I saw firsthand it held less people and the lack of room for wheelchairs/ECVs.

[Cranbiz]

As I read it, they're low-floor busses, but with a step to get to the back seating area, just like the Gilligs. I don't think anyone is still making busses with entrance steps (ala the RTS)

Why are we buying new Novas? I thought we had enough problems with the ones we already had. (And whatever happened to the Vanhool transit-style bus I saw scooting around a few times?)

My understanding is that the 12 new Nova's are part of the settlement of the lawsuit between Disney and Prevost.

Personally, I like the Nova's, they are a more responsive driving bus. They have a better turning radius than the Gillig, which is why they are on Cast shuttle duty at MK. The issues we had were the fire issues. That has been fixed and if you notice, all the old Nova's have been equipped with the same fire suppression system that the Gillig's have.

The VanHools were on loan to determine the feasibility of incorporating them into the system. I understand that it has been determined that they won't do.

[hhsrat]

The issues we had were the fire issues. That has been fixed and if you notice, all the old Nova's have been equipped with the same fire suppression system that the Gillig's have.
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That, and their tendency to just stall out and stop moving in random places. Although, I think I read somewhere that was a fuel-sending unit glitch, that someone was able to troubleshoot and create a work-around, and since then, they haven't had that problem.

[Big Wallaby]

I've come to the conclusion that if there is a bus company working on a new transit model, they should send it to Disney. We have just about every type of transit-style situation in our 47 square miles, and in a nicely controlled setting that is also relatively safe for training.

I know they've done that with a few GM hybrids. I would love to see it more often.

[Cranbiz]

There was another hybrid in the Fort not too long ago. It was a Designline bus but it kind of looked like a Nova and it was 43' long. I believe Disney bought it as it was in Disney colors and had a number assigned to it. (I believe it was 4984)

I saw it also doing the park to park runs a couple of times. I have not seen it in several months but the last time I saw it, Hughes had it on the flatbed taking it to VM South.

[Goofyernmost]

We just replaced our entire fleet (well at least 90% of it) with Gilligs. I like those buses. They handle very well and are very responsive. The ramp wheelchair setups are so much easier to use and with far fewer problems than the old RTS buses and the lights directly behind the driver can stay on while all the others shut off. Almost no glare at all and plenty of usable interior light.